Types of Employee Awards

Sometimes employees in smaller corporations will go out of their way to impress customers with exceptional customer service or make it a priority to never be late or absent. Employers often look for ways to recognize these employees for their exceptional efforts. Here are a few rewards that an employer may consider giving his employees.

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Service Awards

Each year that an employee commits to an employer offers great advantages to the business or organization. Employees gain more knowledge of their position and responsibilities over time, and the company does not have to set aside time and money hiring and training new employees. Employers often reward employees who remain committed with a recognition pin or a certificate acknowledging the number of years of continuous service. Awards are often given for one year, five years, 10 years and 20 years or more. Employers may further reward long-term employees with an extra gift such as a watch or a special desk set, typically engraved with the employee's name and the date they received the honor.

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Employee of the Month

Some workers will consider being designated Employee of the Month a great honor. This award is commonly given to the one employee each month who has given exceptional service, had perfect attendance and gone the extra mile for the company to ensure all customers are given the service they expect. These employees are often recognized during monthly staff meetings with a plaque or certificate recognizing their efforts. A designated parking space is another good idea, and displaying the plaque where customers can see it adds to the honor. Employers should take care in choosing employees in a manner that shows no favoritism. If others perceive that employees are chosen unfairly, the award can be counterproductive.

Attendance Awards

Companies depend on employees to be punctual and at work each day so the work load can be evenly distributed. Employees who strive to be at work during every scheduled shift and never come in late deserve to be recognized in a special way. Perfect attendance awards can be given in the form of a certificate, plaque or even as a cash bonus. Sometimes employers will give employees with perfect attendance a day off with pay or a gift certificate to a local restaurant in appreciation for their commitment to the company.

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Safety Awards

Safety awards are a great way for employers to recognize employees or teams for their continued adherence to safety guidelines. This kind is typically awarded when an employee or a group files no incident or accident reports over a given period of time, such as a month or year. These acknowledgments are often expressed in terms of the man (or woman) hours since the team last experienced an injury. Cash bonuses or gifts such as tickets to popular local events make great safety awards.

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Company Advancement

The ultimate reward that every employee tends to strive for is company advancement. Employees generally work hard to earn recognition in an attempt to be promoted to a higher position within the company or receive an annual raise in pay. Employers should choose candidates for advancement carefully, avoiding favoritism and ensuring that the most reliable and skilled employees are advanced to higher positions.